Are you a kimchi lover who's wondered how to make kimchi at home? I'm walking you through my easy process for making your own kimchi.
Prep time: PT75M
Total time: PT2955M
Rating
4.91 stars (61 reviews)
Keywords
easy kimchi, how to make kimchi, kimchi, vegan kimchi
Ingredients
1 large head napa cabbage (3 to 5 lbs, 1.3 to 2.2 kg)
¼ cup non-iodized salt (60 g)
¼ to ½ cup gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes, depending on your spice tolerance, 30 to 60 g)
7 to 10 cloves garlic
3 to 4 inches ginger (7½ to 10 cm)
1 tsp sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp water (45 to 60 mL)
Optional: 3 Tbsp miso paste
2 carrots (cut into strips, or 8 oz daikon radish)
4 green onions (cut into 1-inch pieces)
Categories
Appetizers
Dips, Sauces, and Salsas
Side Dishes
Cuisine
Korean
Steps
Sterilize: Wash your hands well before every time you touch the ingredients. Wash all supplies with hot water.
Brine: Cut 1 large head napa cabbage into large chunks, then rinse well. Place in a large bowl and cover completely with ¼ cup non-iodized salt, working the salt between all the leaves. Let sit for about 2 hours, massaging and turning the cabbage every 30 minutes, until cabbage has wilted down. When finished, drain and rinse the cabbage very well (until a torn-off piece no longer tastes overly salty). Squeeze out excess water.
Flavor: While cabbage is in the brine, add the ¼ to ½ cup gochugaru, 7 to 10 cloves garlic, 3 to 4 inches ginger, 1 tsp sugar, and 3 to 4 Tbsp water* to a clean food processor. If desired, add miso paste as well (for umami taste). Blitz until smooth.
Mix: Combine the well-rinsed cabbage, pepper paste, 2 carrots (or daikon radish), and 4 green onions in a large bowl, mixing well with clean hands (you may choose to use gloves here to prevent your hands from smelling).
Ferment: Pack the mixture into clean glass jar(s), pressing down so that it’s submerged by the juices and there are as few air pockets as possible. Leave at least an inch of free space at the top of the jar, then seal shut with a lid. Set the sealed jar on a plate or bowl (to catch possible spills), and place somewhere room temperature and out of direct sunlight, letting it ferment for 2 to 5 days.
Upkeep and storage: Check on the kimchi everyday, pushing the cabbage down with clean fingers or a spoon to release gasses and prevent leaks. It's done when the taste is slightly sour and cabbage is a bit soft (depends on your taste - longer fermentation will result in a more sour, less crunchy kimchi). When finished, store in the fridge to stop the fermentation process.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 cup (depends on fermentation length)
Calories: 23 kcal
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Protein: 1 g
Sodium: 624 mg
Sugar: 2 g
Reviews
Wendy Y on 2024-07-15 (5 stars): We have tried so many kimchee recipes, and this one is definitely the best! Thank you!!
